


and i am your lover, smitten, straining your tea

by Rat_King01



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - No Androids (Detroit: Become Human), Connor & Upgraded Connor | RK900 are Siblings, M/M, Upgraded Connor | RK900 Has a Different Name, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-07
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-03-07 15:49:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26870137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rat_King01/pseuds/Rat_King01
Summary: A WIP Reed900 college/coffee shop AU.Niles, in his junior year as a writing major, has developed a tiny, miniscule crush on a certain scruffy barista, much to his brother Connor's amusement.
Relationships: Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed
Kudos: 26





	and i am your lover, smitten, straining your tea

**Author's Note:**

> Title from Carol Ann Duffy's poem, "Tea"
> 
> This one has been in the drafts for a while, hopefully I can update on a regular basis

Windows painted with fingerprint smudges and twirling white letters.  _ Campus Coffee _ . Niles snorts into his sloshing cardboard cup of chai tea. The university got real creative with that name didn’t they. The branding had kept him away in his earlier semesters, that and the usual patronage of upturned noses and Greek scrambled lettering, but he supposed he could thank his brother’s badgering to stop in. Now it seemed there was nothing that could pry him away from his daily ritual. If asked, Niles would assert it was the subpar tea that kept him visiting, but he’d be lying through his teeth. It was the view that brought him back every time. 

Right on time, the grumpy barista clocks in and begins taking orders. With a furrowed brow and permanently-fixed frown, the shorter man, who Nines quickly picked up was named Gavin, looks ready to strangle the two sorority girls at the counter. Before he can murder potential customers, the woman usually on shift with Gavin steps in with a polite smile and takes over, shoving the brunet back to drink making. The barista glances up amidst his grumbling and meets Niles’ open staring with a startled widening of his eyes and huff of anxious exhale. Niles quickly realizes he’s been caught and looks back down to his notepad with a guilty sip of his tea.

Usually visiting the fresh scent of atrocious, bitter coffee and sticky vinyl chairs left the Junior feeling nauseous and inspired. But today, nothing could escape from his brain onto the yellow lined paper. Niles supposed thinking about the man behind the counter might be hindering his ideas of blood, conspiracy, and murder and replacing them with much more pleasant ones, but he couldn’t stop himself from coming back to this rancid place at this exact time. Niles frowned as he took a sip of lukewarm chai and set the offending cup back down on the swaying table. Looking back up he sees the barista busy cleaning and sighs before gathering his things to leave. On his way out, the woman with the name tag  _ Tina  _ calls out to Niles, 

“Hey, you want another chai before you leave? On the house, I swear.”

Niles cocks his head as this statement seems to elicit a hiss from Gavin towards the now laughing barista. The writer shrugs, “Why not? Thanks.”

Tina gets to work on the drink, dodging swipes from her coworker in an attempt to grab what he assumes is his cup, the shorter man’s failure eliciting a small chuckle from Niles. Said barista looks up at the sound and rouge splatters his cheeks as Tina manages to finally body check him out of the way. In all of the commotion, Niles feels a buzz from his phone and checks it to see a message from his brother about the family dinner later that night. The writer is knocked out of the sour reminder when Tina calls his name with the gifted drink. He thanks her and gives one last parting glance to Gavin, who seems to be doing his best to chew out his laughing coworker, before leaving the shop with a chime of the door. Starting his depart down the familiar cracking sidewalk, Niles almost lets the steaming cup slip out of his hand when he sees the etching of sharpie on the side accompanying a phone number, 

_-Gavin. Text me ;)_

**Author's Note:**

> Dedicated to my dear friend Em, who's relentless support motivates me to actually publish my works.


End file.
